Archive for January, 2011

When I landed in New York city about a week ago, it was late, it was cold and I was hungry. A few years ago someone told me to try Gabriels, an Italian restaurant right near where I stay. I am such a creature of habit and keep going back to the same places that I never found the right moment to try it. So, on this night I did and had a very good bowl of pasta with crabmeat in a sauce with tons of tomato’s. Also, it was extra garlicky which suits me fine. It was the bread that night that blew me away. If you read my blog, you will know what a freak I am about my bread, especially when in New York. L.A. doesn’t have great bread, at least not for me. We have heard for years it’s the water in New York. Whatever it is, I long for it when I’m home in L.A. and this particular night I was so immensely sated that on another night I went back pretty much specifically with the bread in mind. What I really loved about the restaurant was the feel of the place, it’s very old school. It reminds me of Chasens in a way or Matteo’s, a restaurant I went to every Sunday night of my life with my dad. At Matteo’s on Sunday nights, what tourists loved were the celebrity sightings. And so, if you like celebrity sightings, that night at Gabriels, David Duchovny had been eating there and walked by my table when he left. Never knew he was so tall, didn’t realize he was so good looking.
Gabriels Bar and Restaurant located just off Columbus Circle 11 West 60’th

I had a few lunches with girlfriends. My favorite being Prune for lunch. I have talked about Prune here before and I will say it in one word. Brilliant!! What I hated was that for me there were too many interesting choices. I ended up with their signature cheeseburger served on a very thin English muffin. The cheese is white cheddar and honestly, I’m writing this in L.A. and wishing I were back there eating that for lunch right now.
Prune 54 East 1st street

Creature of habit that I am, I enjoyed another wonderful meal, this time introducing my step-daughter to Fairway Market Café. To me, the place feels like a close friend who survived a dreaded disease like cancer or something. It was heavily rumored to be closing and now that rumor seems to have disappeared, I’m grateful to say. Had my usual, the branzino and their genius onion rings.
Fairway Market café and steakhouse 2127 Broadway at 74’th street (more…)

If you grew up in Hollywood in the 1950’s to 70’s you remember Chasen’s, the famous restaurant. For me, it was the first real celebrity hangout where you were almost guaranteed to spot the biggest names in show business. I have many great memories of going there with my dad. Later, I went with my husband.

Once, when I was out of town, my husband asked me if he could maybe take my dad out to dinner without his entourage. I said, I don’t know, he really likes his entourage and besides, they are very helpful with his wheelchair … and trust me, the logistics aren’t easy. Navigating around places, getting my dad in and out with the wheelchair was tricky. My husband was determined to spend some quality time with Duke. They did end up going to Chasen’s together, no posse, but marriage was not discussed, I’m sorry to say.

My father wouldn’t live to see us married. I was probably fantasizing that Michael was asking for my hand, knowing me.

For some reason I have never outgrown the love of food overly saturated in butter. Most people I know have given it up, but not me. So, in honor of my love for this kind of food (which is too much work for me to make), I’ll share with you the recipe for my favorite Chasens meal, the Hobo steak.

and enjoy my favorite toast they served at Chasen’s (I ate far too many pieces)

It is the end of an era. I just found out that Broadway Deli in Santa Monica closed. I wasn’t about to recommend it or anything, it really wasn’t all that exciting. But I’m sort of blown away by the news. It held a lot of sentimental memories for me. When the ex-husband left me for another woman — okay, that wasn’t in the least bit shocking, but it happened — I was shaken. I’d walk up to tables of random people at the Broadway Deli and announce that my husband just left me for another woman and did they happen to know of anyone they could set me up with. Sometimes, friends would point to tables I missed and say, “Oh, look you haven’t told those people over there, or them there.” And so I would march up to complete strangers and do my line.

When the long predicted (by my father) infidelity happened, my friends showered me with support and we often ate dinner at the Broadway Deli. Sometimes also at Remi, next door, but that too closed, ages ago. I didn’t go to Broadway Deli much anymore, but it is where I had my first date with the man that would become my future husband. I love the memory of that date. It’s a part of my history, my story. Our story.

He will tell you I threw myself at him. And I have my version. You can be the judge.

I was having breakfast at Nate ‘n Al’s — basically my father’s commissary. He ate there every day except Sundays when he said “they bused in the gentiles”. This was after the not-so-shocking news about my current husband which my father had predicted for twelve long years. My dad would often say, “He will leave you for a girl he meets in the program”. He meant my husband will find a woman in the PHD program he was enrolled in. And he did exactly that. Hey, it’s all good, in case you think I’m some sort of a victim, which I’m not. It was full speed ahead or in my dad’s philosophy “NEXT!” which is what he would say if a show was cancelled or his movie project fell through. Only, I use it (and even he did) for relationships too. If it ends: NEXT!!! So, in the spirit of Next, I was with him early (which I hate) and dressed nicely, maybe even with a touch of makeup (rare ). At our table was Rodney Dangerfield and Bob Hilliard, a comedy writer who had written for the “Honeymooners.” So, you get the idea, all old Jews and me. (That should be the title of my book, “All old Jews and Me”. I want to remember that. But, I better use it quick or it will be “All old Jews, Including Me.”) (more…)